#;; wait longer bestie /j

[agentark]

whatever you do, don't imagine a young J Corvin waiting every day at the end of their drive, hoping today is the day the mail carrier finally brings a letter from their very best friend

[oletus-manors-log]

I await what you are planning. /j /lh

(local toucan)

wait longer then /t

[thatdeadaquarius]

I have a random idea for some sagau crack loosely based on my dynamic with my friend so Im giving it to you because I have been enjoying your sagau language stuff :D

Imagine there are two readers that are two different people. Like, not as in clones they are just two separate people that are rlly good friends on earth. They both really like genshin and play the game, and they both have self aware teyvat citizens. Reader 1 is a whale. They invest a l o t of money on the game, have all the characters, and all the characters have five star weapons. They are like the usual sagau reader you see. They have used up so much money on getting all of the characters, and I mean A L L of them, best weapons, constellations and put a lot of care into it. The place where they really get to show off is their knowledge and love for the lore, and are really invested into it and read all of the artifact descriptions and books. They know about primordial one, the four shining shades, random useless facts about items and often rant to reader 2 about their theories. Their quest bar is always empty because they did them to check out the lore of the game, and are always searching for more lore. They basically play everyday and are always reacting and talking to the characters out loud, unaware that they can hear them.

Meanwhile, Reader 2 is a f2p who is only interested in the archon quest lore and the lore of their fav characters. Because they are f2p, their options are limited so there is some blatant favoritism. They choose their fav character to save up for, and then pull for them. After they get the character they want, they will no longer pull and save up from there. Because of this, they only have like 5 five stars and only have zero five star weapon. Their favourite character is their main(*cough* wanderer *cough*), and unlike reader 1 who uses all of their characters regularly, reader 2 sticks to this character for most of their gameplay unless they need to use someone else. However, reader 2 takes almost an entire month to finish building a character, because they go overboard with the artifact stats. You would expect to normally have a 50 180 crit ratio, but reader 2’s dps characters always, and I mean ALWAYS have 50 200 crit ratio or more. Like, their main (it doesnt have to be wanderer but Im putting him here anyways) has 70 and 200 crit ratio, is crowned, full 4 pc best in slot, and is even crowned and faruzan only needs like 200 er but reader 2 gave them 300. (Im totally not putting this here because this is what I did/j) Reader 2 is also the type to never speak while gaming, so the first time they spoke everyone turned it into a national holiday to be celebrated. They also play a lot less than player 1. Player 1 plays everyday while player 2 plays for a month straight and then takes a long break to wait for the content to pile up.

So these two gremlin besties are always speaking with each other, and are always on coop. Whenever player 1 needs help making team comps or building characters, they just ask player 2 for help. And whenever player 2 needs help understanding the lore of the game, they ask player 1. But all I can think abt is the first time they cooped. Imagine player 1 was using childe and then when the coop starts, both childe and wanderer are very confused as to wtf is going on. Like, childe is confused because he sensed a strange aura coming form them like whenever someone gets controlled by reader 1, and wanderer is confused because reader 2 seemed so excited that they were talking, but its just childe? Reader 2 always skips childe’s banners.

Thats it lol, hope this wasnt too long.

Not long at all! Or more like, I like long asks so feel free to share! :D

IM SO SORRY ITS LIKE MONTHS LATER TO GET TO YOU I PROMISE I LOVE UR STUFF AND AM SUPER EXCITED TO SEE IT,

IM JUST SLOW AND GOOFY 😭😭

Said friends in genshin like: ^^^

this kinda inspires me/reminds me of @mists-reading-nook soldier/poet/king post, you should check xe stuff!! Gave me brainrot to this day tbh, like im imaging how that “3rd King style of worship” would look like even now lmao ive been down bad 😭

☆

Sun: 2 Readers! (as desc. above), (you/they/them)

Orbit: Headcanons-ish

Stars: wanderer/childe, mentions of others i forgot to focus on any one character or nation :/

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: mild cussing language, & Trigger Warnings: none known.

Please comment if I missed any. /gen

dual symbolism everywhere, obv you both thought “for the twins” but it just kept getting out of hand the more the game updated over the months lol

like shrines/temples/churches showing up more often in new countries/areas and always identifying the same 2 gods

obv the for-the-lore player picked up on it first, and by the time the trickle-down effect happened, where characters/NPCs were outright talking about these gods, the 2nd was asking the lore knower to explain lol

the 2 gods kept getting referred to by a few names, like “The Soldier and the Scholar” or “The Sage and the Warrior” or “The Keeper and the Pursuer” etc.

after awhile of comparing both of your games, you realize that some vision users/gods tend to use the soldier/warrior/pursuer titles more often when talking about one of you, and the other gets the sage/scholar/keeper more often

u both get excited, maybe its bc you chose diff travelers or some other reason, but when u try and post abt it or otherwise ask other players u get a lot of negatives/”hasnt happened for me”s??

u both just think the games glitched or some dev is playing a prank on you two maybe,

it gets weirder when u both realize the lore player be over here getting random gifts from all the characters in the mail all the time

and just as grinding players like “ :’( my favs don't like me?? but they have the best artifacts and maxed friendship levels..”

they get flooded with multiple gifts from their main characters, most of which benefit the grind tbh lmao (like a bunch of cheaper materials or crystals to level up artifacts/weapons or to ascend that character = no more slaughtering every samurai on sight for their handguards or collected a fuckton of those blue layered mushrooms for wanderer)

god u were both grateful to this glitch ngl, it saved a lot of dumb misc tasks and was just a nice touch

no but the amount of confusion inside the game from when u first started playing together, like each of ur games began with stuff abt 1 god, then as u co-oped moved onto 2 gods (like said at the beginning)

the lore player is blabbing away like you do, which begins to be heard by the other player’s game world

like it starts as whispers in battle, then all the time, then a quiet convo in the background all the time, until they can just hear u out of earshot esp word for word when they focus!! at first the vision-users/gods got all excited bc their god was speaking!! finally!!! until I'm sure they heard narration that didn't fit/it was there sometimes even when their god’s presence wasn't?/voice sounded “off” to them/didnt fit their god…??

ok ik u were joking abt the national holiday,,, but I’m not. 😈

THE FIRST WORDS 2ND SPOKE BEING IN A PROPHECY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS THEY SAY.

Player 1, playing as Childe, steals a singular (1) sweet flower from Player 2, who has Wanderer out:

P2: “I seriously hate you. Listen to what I’m saying, I can’t stand you.”

(Wanderer panicking that its abt him- Childe freezing bc he managed to piss off a god that feels as powerful as his own- the PROPHECY LMAO- )

P1: “… you miss me.”

(everyone else: 💥vine boom sound 💥😦😨😰???)

P2: “I hate you.”

P1: “You miss me and you love me, why must we fight??”

(everyone else: 💥vine boom again💥🤨🫠??…)

P2: “I hate you-”

P1: “-we gotta good thing going on, you and I, why must we tussle??”

(everyone else: 💥yet another vine boom💥 💀💀)

(the absolute deep anxiety/pure confusion as the two harbingers heads just ping pong back and forth towards the voices lmao)

u two scare the shit out of any characters u do this with lol

they do get used to it as u talk, and the characters even manage to interact (thru hacking magical shenanigans and discord)

to send thank you gifts to player 1 for getting player 2 to talk more lol

along with sending copies of any lore books that player 2 has gotten that player 1 hasn't!

and it becomes common/tradition to exchange gifts like this to thank or appreciate the other god, like player 1 characters sending thank you gift copies of rare materials or ascension stuff that player 1 had that player 2 didn't (esp making sure to send during resinless hours lmao)

overall, 10/10, whats better than 1 god that plays one way? 2 gods that compensate for each other and now u have 2x the worshippers

(i wonder how meeting alternate versions of themselves would go, bc id like to headcanon that each of ur behavior towards them/ur unique influence has changed them a bit comparing, like they arent carbon copies anymore, not like they used to be…)

☆

hey sorry for slowing down guys!!

i just feel bad its taken me forever to get to these asks, so i wanted to take what time i could lately and charge thru them so i could spam post lol

I've also been working on fics! so that's delayed things by a lot, bc fics take longer to “respond to” than short asks or replies

my poor bsd fic

Anyway thank you so much for sending this in!!! I'm so sorry i took forever to get to it, and i hope u enjoyed response/my brain shitting this out lol

have a good weekend!! :D

Safe Travels Anon!!

💀♒

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck / @questionotmystopit

@kiyomi-uchiha777

[i4bellingham]

INSTAGRAM FILES: jude bellingham x reader x jamal musiala

SYNOPSIS: in which you and jude announce your break up and the events that soon follow after.

NOTES: please ignore the errors i made lol i freaking love doing social media au’s can you guys tell? 😍

twitter

yourusername

📍Bavaria, Germany

❤️ 💭 ↗️　　　　　 • •

Liked by alphonsodavies, jamalmusiala10 and others

yourusername froh, wieder zu hause zu sein ❤️ glad to be home again

tagged: jamalmusiala10

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See translation

user1 YOU'RE BACK IN UR HOMETOWN !!!

user2 dortmund probably wasn't such a good place huh :/

alphonsodavies you should visit us at allianz arena soon!

yourusername will do phonzy!

user3 hasn't she just broken up with jude last month? 😟

user4 lmao she's been friends with musiala way before she even met jude 🤣

jamalmusiala10 lass uns bald mit den anderen losziehen ❤️ let's go out with the others soon

yourusername ja, lasst uns! yes, let's

user5 what on earth is happening 🙁

　

jamalmusiala10

❤️ 💭 ↗️ 　　　　　 • •

Liked by jobebellingham and 986,567 others

jamalmusiala10 herzlichen glückwunsch zum geburtstag an meinen seelenverwandten. du hast das grösste herz und die grösste liebe für jeden, aber es ist eine schande, dass nicht jeder das schätzt und sieht. denk immer daran, dass ich für dich da bin. ich liebe dich, nochmals herzlichen glückwunsch zum geburtstag ❤️ happy birthday to my soulmate. you have the biggest heart and love for everyone, but it's a shame that not everyone appreciates and sees that. always remember that i am here for you. i love you, happy birthday again.

tagged: yourusername

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See translation

yourusername danke, bambi. ich habe großes glück, dich als freundin zu haben. cih leibe dich ❤️ thank you, bambi. i’m very lucky to have you as a friend. i love you

user1 JAMAL CALLED HER HIS SOULMATE AGAIN 😭❤️❤️

user2 atp i think we can say miss girl dated the wrong football player 😭😭

user3 he stopped calling her that (& vice versa) when she was still dating jude omfg my heart

user4 y/n l/n, through the eyes of jamal musiala 🥺

yourfriend lass uns bald zusammen essen gehen! let's have dinner together soon

　

footballwrld_ig

❤️ 💭 ↗️

Liked by yourfriend, bvbfangirl87 and others

footballwrld_ig What do you guys think? 🤔🤔🤔

Also follow us for more football-related updates, news and gossips!

View all 9,860 comments

user1 lmfao that's literally jude and y/n

user2 jude cheated? 😟🙁

user3 man i used to root for them to last too ://

yourfriend just shows you can’t trust most guys these days 😐

❤️ liked by footballwrld_ig

user4 that's so hypocritical of the girl lmaoooo 🤣🤣🤣 miss girl be upset that her famous and well loved man is cozying up with diff girls when she's out there flaunting her flirty ass relationship with her bsf 🤣🤣

user5 you're so fucking stupid harvard’s knocking at your door.

user6 the difference is that j*de did it while he was still in a fucking relationship. y/n on the other hand had been best friends with musiala since they were kids and continues to be the best of friends until now. if she decides to start a relationship with him why not? she's known him longer than she's ever known jude and truthfully, musiala acts more of a decent boyfriend than j*de ever was to her 😐

user7 user6 slay bestie. roast that fatherless bitch

　　　

yourusername

❤️ 💭 ↗️

Liked by hekitike, alejandrobalde and others

yourusername and i still ride with my day one ❤️

tagged: jamalmusiala10

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user1 that caption though 😍

user2 date night 🙊

yourfriend looking stunning my love ! 😍💋

yourusername i miss you! we should get that dinner soon when you're back!

user3 after their breakup went viral more football players started following her oh my lord 🤭

jamalmusiala10 ❤️❤️❤️

user4 WAIT ARE Y'ALL TOGETHER OR WHAT ?????

user5 lmfao u forgot jude that easily? 🤣

user6 it's been 7 months bestie move the fuck on

yourmom beautiful 😍

yourfriend2 the audacity to have to look this beautiful 😩

[thegreatstoryteller]

The Great Shift: Reunion

The Great Shift is a well known event that had swapped over 90% of the world’s population! However, after the initial fallout and chaos, a few years later people began to acclimate to their lives. Though there were still moments where people were confronted with just how much they’ve changed.

“Ok Ned Nuno. No one is gonna remember you as Ned the know it all. It’s been years. People are mature and have their own lives.” Ned said to himself in the mirror. 

The young man looked back at his model like reflection. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe it was him. Only a few years ago he was looking at his own bespectacled face with his receding hairline. Sure he’s what some would call cute and charming. He always had a knack for intelligent conversation. After college he embraced his intelligence even more and had the luxury to travel as he got older... but he couldn’t deny that his former body wasn’t turning any heads romantically. They’d haver to notice the 5 foot tall waifish man for that to happen. 

But now... that was no longer the case. All those years ago he was traveling at an airport when the Great Shift happened. One moment he was departing his plane, the next he was in a boarding area waiting to be seated!

Needless to say it was a shock. He’d gone from a smaller and dark skinned to a clearly white and very in shape young man! He later found that this guy was named Connor Duval and was  just 21 years old at the time! Still in college too. And... well those first few days he certainly had a lot to learn about his new form. 

However he couldn’t reminisce any further. He needed to get ready for his school’s 10 year reunion. He wasn’t the same timid nerd that people would pick on. He was braver! He’d seen the world! And wasn’t afraid!

- One ride to the school later -

“Ok. I’m afraid! Jackie! Are you here yet? I know this is the 2nd message I left for you on your phone, but I don’t want to be the only one here I know! You were always my best friend and I’m sorry I’m so nervous and-” Ned was pacing nervously outside of the building he once learned at, waiting to go in with his friend.

“Easy there poindexter. Your bestie is back.” A deep voice says spooking  Ned as he jumps.

“J-Jackie?” Ned asks nervously seeing the towering muscular figure beside him.

“In the flesh. I though I told you that I shifted into that big Ukrainian construction worker? I mean all the better for it right? None of your old bullies ever messed with you when you butch lesbian bestie was at your side.” Jackie said with a flex.

“I know. I know. You were always so open and brave with yourself It’s honestly inspiring. I’m sorry i was so shocked. I’m just nervous and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. I hope your girlfriend is taking it ok.” Ned offers sympathetically.

“Yeah she loves it. She swapped into this bi goddess of a woman and works out with me a lot. Good thing too! I’m still only attracted to women and I have the best one sucking me off every night!” Jackie bragged. Previously her normal crude humor always let out a laugh from Ned, but now Ned trembled a bit as Jackie sounded just like those macho straight guys that bullied him.

“Aren’t you a little under dressed without um... a shirt?” Ned asks.

“Ha! Well you know. I thought about going nude. But I did pack a polo so i can be decent. Aren’t you over dressed Ned?”

“What!? I  couldn’t decide what to wear! I just chose one of my body’s outfits that still fits...” Ned blushes in his nice suit. Sure he was a 6 foot tall model with abs, but his indecision in outfits was ever present.

“Neverminded that anymore. Let’s get in there! You’re a tenured professor for Pete’s sake. And I’m a well known LGBT author. We got a lot to talk about.”

Jackie pulled Ned in with his surprising strength and they began to hear the music and mingling. Inside they were given name tags and soon saw the crowds of people that none of them recognized! One of the perks of the shift was that no one was ever mad when they didn’t recognize one another. In this case though Jackie and Ned’s eyes zeroed in on a few key people.

Stacy Skarsgaard was always known as the head cheerleader and total B. Her platinum blond hair and perky breasts getting her through life and landing her a cushy secretary job somewhere in the city, from what Jackie had heard. Now once again, as she was so many other times, she was blasted drunk and taking her top off. Only this time it revealed a powerful dark skinned chest with curly black hairs. Her perfectly shaved face saying, “And like. I”m already on my 4th husband and he totally worships me. Takes care of the kids and still tops me like a champ. Like. I totally see why gay guys do it all the time. I can’t stop. Any more martinis?”

Jackie snorts. “Where was that open mindedness when she tried to get student council to take down the LGBT Support Club? Freaking hypocrite. Their eyes then drifted to three men chest bumping and laughing.

“Are those guys Chad, Thad, and Grad?” Ned asks surprised. “Weren’t they... like the biggest guys on the football team?” Ned recalled the days when those beefy fat bodies would pound through the halls and shove him against lockers.

“Oh yeah. I heard they were working as assistant coaches at some college and ended up swapping with their respective school’s freshman swim team. They... certainly lost a lot of that freshmen 15 that we saw them with in university.” Jackie laughed admiring how they both towered over their former bullies, though Ned once again felt insecure about how much their abs looked better than his. Those three guys kept messing around but in different ways. Instead of belching and arm wrestling they were doing some handstands and showing how flexible they were. 

“Ok. Ned. Stop sulking and start catching up. You wanted to prove to yourself you could stand up to your past. Now is your chance. Next person to walk through that door is gonna be a new person you have to say Hi to ok?” Jackie commanded.

Ned gulped and looked at the door nervously and was in awe of who stepped in.

“Paul Bailey?” Ned said astonished. He’d recognize that familiar leather jacket anywhere.... he could still smell it as the closeted athlete wrapped his arms around him all those years ago under the bleachers after a big game. Neither have them had mentioned the night since, but that hadn’t stopped Ned from cherishing that memory.... as well as stalking him occasionally on social media seeing who he swapped with. 

Ned hadn’t realized he’d been staring that long as Paul immediately saw him and walked over. “Holy... Ned? Is that you. Wow you sure changed.” The man joked. His voice was different... but still so deep and smooth Ned nearly swooned.

“H-hey Paul. Guess we all have since the switch. You’re um... looking good.” Ned admitted, blushing. He missed his previous heritage that made these embarrassing actions less noticeable with his former darker skin. 

“Thanks. I guess I traded in my older pasty body for a new more bronze kind. I wasn’t expecting to swap with an Asian bodybuilder, but hey I was at the airport. Right or wrong place depending who you ask for the shift.” 

“Really? I was at the airport too when I shifted. It was kinda funny. I’d been traveling a lot since I got tenure as a professor, but the first thing I did when I shifted was trip. I guess no amount of travelling prepares you for suddenly having size 14 feet.” Ned laughs.

“Really? They do look big... dang. Those are like twice the size of your old ones.” Paul laughs too!

“Y-you remembered me that well?” The nerd felt touched.

“Of course,” Paul replied as it was his turn to blush. “Though hey! I got you beat with these size 17 wide feet. With these heavy muscle I nearly took out an entire cart of luggage.”

The two continued to laugh, comparing bodies, stories, and catching up. Jackie suddenly took her leave to be ogled by all of the female attendants.

Ned and Paul were having a great time walking around, having fun, and enjoying each other’s company.

Ned didn’t know that their bodies had met previously. That Connor was on the way to visit his boyfriend at the time... that miles away their original bodies were holding hands and laughing too... Ned couldn’t know that Paul had also been secretly keeping up with Ned after feeling bad about kissing and never calling...

But there are some things a know it all doesn’t know. Maybe it’ll be fun for him to start learning again. This time with someone both old/new.

[neoswift]

i see this as an absolute win!

PAIRING. rich boy!jaemin x fem!oc

CATEGORY. filo mini smau, fluff, humor, crack, one-sided pining

WARNINGS. language

SYNOPSIS. rb!jaemin gets set up on a blind date by his father for an event and turns out, the girl is his crush’s neighbor and—wait, they actually live in the same condo complex? [or alternatively: jaemin and june's first interaction outside twitter.]

more rb!jaemin here!

NOTES. this became longer than i intended im sorry yall i just wanted to try something new with the narrations lmk if mas gusto nyo ba ganito or yung plain white na narrations lang HAHAHAHA may typo rin sa isang narrations ng panel 26 thats supposed to be "too convinced" my bad 🤟🏼🤟🏼

AY ALSO !! meet amby… will she be important? who knows chareng 🤭🤭🤭 as always sa college aus ko, theyre students sa nu... neo university HAHAHAHAHA jaemin1stwin tayo ngayon besties sana manalo ulit si rb!jm ☝🏼☝🏼 HAHAHAAHAHA

TAGLIST. @archivedmkl @nctasdfghj @wooyoung-a @morkleetrash @kkotjia @i-aecrysture @injunified @smolpeyy @pepperrye @hibuki-chan @hannie-dul-set @chanfilms @yiz-yo @anya-writes-stuff @w0nderr @mihyu-ckie @remisaki @fullsunld @main-figuresk8-sunghoonie @dejavukirstein @seijenoh @renjun-pretty @skzbeyleynjasnct @yoitbb @najaeminluvbot @hazyru @lune1897 @heynayu @chimajeyn @rensaure @13isacoolnumber @liljeongseong @marahuyornjn @eureah @markleepooh @000rpheus @nanayogurt @luvenshiti @j-8star @flovezen @jaeyuuns @yoonhanzjaem @ssuungchans @shairamaexx @hibernatinghamster @roseltgiri @tangerinelovelees

[cusredismyfav]

ᅠᅠ

“ Are you out of your mind!? ” you shouted at Nakia while trying to cover the wound on the Talokanil girl's stomach.

“ I can't let her hurt the princess! ”

“ She's just scared! and you could have just talk to her but you don't! ”

ᅠᅠ

In the first place. Nakia suppose to rescue the princess of wakanda alone by herself, but you and Shuri knew each other since the war with Thanos and became besties, you can't just sit here and wait. 

ᅠᅠ

So you've asked her if you can go or not, when the answer is yes and you're the one who has a power and can breathe under water, you don't have to think twice.

ᅠᅠ

Now, it's ends up with Nakia attack one of Talokanil and she's about to leave with no mercy at all.

ᅠᅠ

“ Let's go! we don't have much time! ” Nakia said, looking at the woman who are sitting on the ground. “ Y/n! you have to get back! ”

You didn't answer, And Nakia can't wait any longer at all, because she knows who's coming after them. So you've left behind, but can't blame her 'cause it's your decision to stay.

ᅠᅠ

“ U'uy, U'uy.. Ma' j-nuulech. Much P'áaten quietos. (Hey, hey..I won't hurt you. Please, stay still.) ” your voice is so soft and calm at that moment, made the girl hold still with no fears in her eyes.

“ Je'el u páajtal in wáantikech, ba'ale' yaan a yeelel ti'. Ya'ab. (I can help you, but it's gonna hurt..a lot.) ” She nodded in agreement. So you pick her up in bride style, walk a little to reach the pool and place her down near it.

Your left hand dip into water for a second, then it slowly floated and twirls around your hand before straight into the wound, so it made her scream painfully. But just like you said before, it's gonna hurt a lot but it does heal as well.

ᅠᅠ

“ Get your hands of her. ”

ᅠᅠ

Someone is here, and that stern voice of him made you flinched a bit. But before you could say anything or explain, your body just flew away immediately with unhuman strength and hit a brick wall so hard. 

ᅠᅠ

Then you realized, it was Namor.

ᅠᅠ

King of Talokan. Feathered serpent god. Fish man. Or whatever they've called him.

ᅠᅠ

“ Fuck.. ” Gladly that your head didn't hit the ground when you fell, cause if it does, you'll be dead by now. “ You should've ask first, before insulting someone, Namor. ”

“ K'uk'ulkan..Leti' in ts'o'ok salvado. (She has save me.) ” A Talokanil girl who's now fully recovered rapidly grabs the king's arm.

ᅠᅠ

So he just stood there and look at you with a confused expression on his face, not bothering to help you get up.

ᅠᅠ

“ Hm, what a gentleman. ” You mumbled in sarcasm, slowly getting up by yourself and walk pass him to the same pool then kneel and let the tip of your finger touch it.

ᅠᅠ

“ You're not..human. ”

ᅠᅠ

“ Do I look like one? ” Again. A sarcastic look and tone, but he deserved it because you've done nothing except helped his people.

ᅠᅠ

“ Don't you dare talk to me like tha- ”

ᅠᅠ

“ Ts'o'ok u sanado u yaajil. (Has the wound healed yet?) ” You just cut him out by asking the young girl. When she nodded before saying thanks to you that meant you had no business here anymore.

ᅠᅠ

“ Alright. Bye then. ”

“ You can't go anywhere, surface dweller. ”

ᅠᅠ

Everything could just be fine if you leave as fast as you can but he doesn't let you, so you sighs and rolled your eyes.

ᅠᅠ

The only reason that he's doing this, because he is interesting in you, even it's not the best way to seduced a woman.

ᅠᅠ

But with you? Hell no. You won't fall for him, never ever even you died in peace or not.

ᅠᅠ

“ Back off, Namor. ”

ᅠᅠ

“ And If I don't ? ”

ᅠᅠ

“ I'll kill you and chop you in piece, before feed a bunch of shark out there for sure. ”

ᅠᅠ

[apompkwrites]

So I was thinking right, never a good thing, and then Kingscholar and Bucchi emerged from the deep recesses of my mind.

ok so Kingscholar has been in mwezi miji for a long time, and over that time, they probably physically changed a lot; they've probably grown taller. Depending on what type of work they've been doing, they've probably become a little toned. Stealthier, new and old scars aren't hidden like they would've been back with the Elders, their face has slimmed and matured, and I imagine almost every one of the residents of mwezi miji , know of Kingscholars little secret of being in the royal family.

I don't think they would care much; it's like that one town/village secret or crypted that everyone knows, but they don't really tell, and most people don't want to ask why they left as if they're willing to leave a pretty cushy life then it must've been pretty bad.

I imagine that when they first got to mwezi miji anytime a new visitor or guest, they sort of needed to hide or find a way to hide their face because I'm sure almost everyone has heard and seen the Lost posters of them, however as they age they defer a lot from that original poster and the following posters trying to guess what they would look like as they got older aren't always accurate, Kingscholar laughs at the inaccuracies sometimes. Still, they no longer need to hide as much. Of course, if it's royal guards or someone closer to the royal family, they'll hide as the chances that they'll get recognized increase, and they'd rather not.

When they got an invite to NRC, they were confused, why them??? the self-image issues aren't fully treated yet, but with the council of the other villagers and the twins, they did some maths knowing that when they left, Leona was still in NRC and would probably be graduated by the time they entered. They ended up accepting, they would be using Atiena's last name instead of Kingscholar, and Atiena would be labeled as their parent, many other people have their first name they'll be fineeee right.

the Registration/Dorm matching thing I forgor what it's called they got put in Savanaclaw, cool, fun, funky, and they turn to go sit down and shock horror, holy fuck, that's Leona, why is he still there what, and he's looking not happy, send help, they are in desperate need of it, so they go to sit down trying to hide their face with their hood and look down as they walk past only for Leona to grab their arm with a vice grip muttering "we're talking later." it a not so enthusiastic tone.

so afterward, he's dragging (name) around, trying to find a place to talk; they pass through a very crowded area, someone bumped into him, and his grip loosened a bit. He felt their arm leave his grasp, he turns around to grab them again, but they have vanished; he tried looking to find them, but they were gone, and he couldn't use their scent since there were so many people.

Turns out they hid behind the first person they were able to, and guess what it was Bucchi(Name). Alarmed by the person hiding behind them, they turned around and was like, "wtf", and Kingscholar just explains it as they pissed off the dorm leader. Bucchi found great entertainment in this and asked how tf that happened, kingscholar just shrugged, "idk" and said that they needed to hide, Bucchi, in their rebellious phase(/j) and looking to piss off a person in authority, said, sign me up, and that's how they became besties in 5 minutes of knowing each other.

every day in Savanaclaw is a stealth mission for Kingscholar(Name). They have, in fact, almost walked into their room with Leona waiting for them inside; they always open it a slight bit before realizing Leona is there before both Leona and Kingscholar(Name) book it, Leona does because Kingscholar always runs away from him. He knows that they'll do it, and he's trying to catch them, but they always manage to just escape him.

Leona chases them around because he wants to interrogate them; I feel like he would hold off on telling the elders or Falena about (Name) because he wants to know why exactly they left like they did before he did; he wants to know if there was a solid reason that they should know, he wants to know if he needs to tell Falena immediately and (Name) runs because they just aren't ready to face their brother at the moment and also their first instinct when they are being stared at or chased is to be on guard, hide, and run

of course, there is a time and a place for the chase between the siblings; if it's class it probably wouldn't be happening because Leona is skipping also because they have different classes, if they're walking to class, they both just don't try though (Name) is on guard and ready to bolt, lunch/dinner is off limits don't even try, conversations are awkward though

There were times Leona caught (Name), though Bucchi(Name) has always conveniently been there and managed to get (Name) out; it's a talent, and it's show-stopping

I don't know what else to add. My brain just emptied lmao here is what I was able to extract from the recesses that they emerged from

also off-topic, but I just learned that Rook has 5 brothers, 3 older ones and 2 younger ones making him a middle child, meaning Hunt(Name) has 6 brothers I-

waaaaah ok ok first off love talking about mwezi miji my lil babies <333

yes, everyone in mwezi miji, at the current time we have the fic, knows of lil kingscholar's royal background. the flyers were the first to be distributed in an actual timely manner to the outlands, mainly because the elders don't like associating with them and involving them in "civilized" matters (that's what they say, anyway).

but everyone in mwezi miji also knows that something has to have happened for kingscholar to run away. just a lil hint at the new chapter i plan to write, the twins, nuru, and atiena all know about lil kingscholar's reasons for running away. and because atiena knows about it, the rest of the village understands that it is a private matter but still welcome the lil lion with open arms :D

as for the invitation to NRC, that's another aspect that i will include in the fic! maybe to the next chapter but probably the one after. yes yes lil kingscholar would be extremely confused about why they're being invited to NRC.

and leona would def immediately recognize lil kingscholar. although he wouldn't remember their face, namely because they haven't seen each other in so long and lil kingscholar has changed so much, but he would recognize their smell. its a bit muted because of mwezi miji but it's there and it's sending leona into a spiral. it's that familiar smell that makes him homesick, all because he hasn't seen his beloved sibling in a while.

but lil kingscholar wouldn't want to talk to leona when he requests it. and i love the idea of them meeting lil bucchi because of it :O like lil bucchi just wants to piss of authority, especially royalty.

leona also just wants to talk. he wouldn't want to tell falena or the elders especially, like you said. he wants to get to the bottom of what happened. he wants to know why his sibling ran away. why falena was reduced to nothing but panicked wheezes and cries when he went home in his first year of NRC. but lil kingscholar won't let him know. and i'm sure it'll get to a point where he's extremely frustrated by it :(

[webslingingslasher]

lil hypothetical: at what point do i tell the guy i’m sort of dating that i’m married? my wife and i are platonically married bc we thought it would be funny. we’re j two girlies who happen to be wives. but i also dooo like this guy and my wife and i are still dating around w men bc we are not lesbians? but like he’ll either find it funny or he won’t yk. but i like him and don’t wanna mess it up by either telling him too early before he’s sure he likes me and scare him off bc it’s a weird situation, or tell him too late and have him mad that i didn’t tell him. also we’ve been talking longer than i’ve been married but he and i weren’t really talking when i proposed/got married. and i didn’t want to tell him then if i wasn’t even sure i would see him again! but now things are looking better. all this to say, WHEN DO I DROP THE WIFE BOMB

🧍‍♂️ bestie that is something you should've thought about before you got married 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

i have no idea, bestie. maybe play a game of two truths and a lie 😭😭 i love this for you and your friend but it'll throw a wrench in any future relationship, esp if it goes long term and they have to wait while you go through a divorce.

so basically- good luck, i hope he finds it funny/cute.

[lokislytherin]

random lookism q for you! which 2 characters (ideally those who barely have any interaction) would you want to see interact more? :)

hello jann i have so many combos how am i supposed to pick. ur so determined to make me write essays huh /j you know what im just gonna make this jay & various lookism characters that i wanna see him interact with bc he's been missing for so long this is my copium that he's been here all along

jay & mira

they are the housewives waiting for their husbands to come back from the war dynamic, but in jay's case he joined the war as a medic who can also fight on the frontlines bc he missed daniel. i like to think during the period of time their boys were gone, jay and mira became closer bc they were both lonely. think about it - daniel is undoubtedly jay's best friend and literally jay's only friend, while zack and mira have such a long history and the requited pining they have is so intense.

just imagine having to suffer through school alone... hence mira struck up a conversation (even tho she had no idea how to understand jay), and now they're kind of friends. maybe they're lonely bc they miss their boos but they're lonely together now, which makes things a lot better. mira still doesn't quite understand jay, but she Gets the pining, so that's a start. she doesn't know whether to root for emo introvert jay to get with daniel or social butterfly zoe, so for now she's just hoping they'll end up in a polyamorous relationship bc she doesn't want her friends to end up with broken hearts. according to zack (who finds the time to text her whenever he can bc he misses her a lot and his current canon break is bc they're hanging out like the lovebirds they are), daniel has also been picking up boyfriends left and right so the daniel ship might actually have more people than she originally thought, actually.

also they bond over fashion, because mira thinks jay needs to expand his closet. all jay has is designer suits (and the occasional biker jacket) and mira is the god of thrifting and cute fits! if you want the j high fashion boys in cute Normal People (read: proletariat) fits mira is your go-to

2. jay & zoe

once again, housewives waiting for their husband to come back from the war dynamic, but they've got the same dynamic. they are the co-captains of the daniel fan club and they constantly fight for first place. zoe is losing (because she's been away from canon even longer than jay) and she hates it (it's okay. she's realizing daniel is a very good friend, who is coincidentally very hot, but that's he's not exactly boyfriend material for her, for some reason. he's so bestie-coded).

zoe has 0 idea what jay's thinking 50% of the time, the other 50% of the time jay just goes :( so she just Knows he's thinking of daniel and missing him bc yeah. she does that too. it's just more obvious with jay because he doesn't show his eyes and that reduces his expression ability by a lot bc he's the most expressive with daniel, and when daniel's not there he's just _ . not even -_- he's just _ because he doesn't show his eyes so zoe can't even begin guessing what he's thinking. mira only gets him bc she's got the Nice Person Telepathy (it's called years of dealing with tsuntsun zack = pro body language reader)

i'm not gonna lie about jay he's very competitive towards her bc in his eyes zoe has a bigger chance than crystal? mainly bc crystal is so mean to daniel homegirl has 'Men DNI' in her eyes she exudes that energy while jay is hong jay homosexual gay and he's like yo. daniel please look over. hot boy in the area.

jay has never thought of out-sexy-ing zoe tho. zoe's assets are her medium is premium booba (she's only b cup but south korean average cup size is like a small a) and all jay has is his flat chest. even lookism tumblr barely believed in his booba until 2% of almost 300 people suddenly went actually it exists

3. jay & ryuhei

blond 🤝 motorbike 🤝 bathrobe + bath lovers (ryuhei is The Biggest onsen lover and you can fight me on this + jay is canonical bath haver) 🤝 in love with a dark haired person who will probably never look at them the way they want them to.

i hc they actually met once while being on their bikes, but both of them had their helmets on (bc safety first! daniel/mitsuki would be sad/annoyed if they died riding their bikes which is not ideal). ryuhei nodded over like 'yo nice ducati dugati bro' and jay nodded back like 'thanks bro' and it was a moment of Mutual Understanding bc of Biker Language

also i just really wanna know how they would interact in canon? my hc of them meeting was off-screen bc i'm sure both of them have more to do with their lives but what if they fought each other. weapon user to weapon user. kali arnis user jay vs ryuhei with his chain bat. two blond boys trying to bonk each other to death until they realize they're both simps actually. and then they bond via trash talk (ryuhei) and getting triggered every time ryuhei mentions romance (jay) and then bonk each other some more bc NO WAY THIS WEIRDO IS NOT MY KINNIE

4. jay & samuel seo

sanest person in the verse fights complete utter nutjob, but both of them believe that they are the sane person and the other guy is the nutjob. samuel seo's like WHO'S THIS BLOND FREAK WHY IS HE CHASING ME WITH A BB GUN and jay's like GET BACK HERE SO I CAN SHOOT YOUR GIANT TITS RIGHT OFF AS PAYBACK FOR BULLYING DANIEL. GET YOUR ASS HERE OR I'LL RIP YOUR BOTOX TITS OFF AND FEED IT TO MIRO AND EDEN BC 1) GOOD SNACK FOR THEM 2) MY PUPS ONLY DESERVE PREMIUM STEAK

tbf jay's not saying anything he's just exuding Murderous Energy (think jay in ch435) so ofc samuel's confused. this blond twink doesn't speak he's just chasing samuel with a bb gun

5. jay & gun

GUNJAY PARALLELS. THAT'S IT THAT'S THE TWEET

i've got more about the GunJay Parallels in another post which i am honestly too lazy to link bc u've probably alr seen it but i just wanna see the two daniel simps fight each other yk. i know jay's gonna get his ass beat to hell and back but i believe in Protective Hong Jaeyeol and Possessive Hong Jaeyeol rights like this perv is the guy daniel's been training with?? this is the bastard who basically tortured daniel bc daniel wanted to learn how to fight and be stronger??? oh boy the minute jay finds out about what gun did to daniel he'll sic the law on gun. or poison him

bc i believe in dumbhead!gun and STEM kid!jay supremacy.

jay, copying the anime he watched with daniel: お前はもう... 死んでいる！

gun, who received 0 intel about jay and wondering who tf this Blond Bastard™ is: 뭐?! この바보は누구

daniel, who only knows bits and pieces of jp bc he's an avid anime watcher: gun wtf is wrong with u.

daniel: also omg jay hi <3

jay, immediately: /////// <3

(that's him blushing btw)

i also want more interactions with jay and vasco and jay and zack and jay and johan and-

i could go on forever

thank you for the ask jann! wow this is. long

[celestialblushxoxo]

Hi hi! Im sorry, I just need to give you more feedback!😽😽

Really, thank you so much for doing the free mini FS game. Sharing your time & energy just like that is not something that you HAVE to do so it’s much appreciated💕💕Many people don’t appreciate it when it comes to other readers and that’s just really disrespectful.

~So thank you so much again❤️I just wanna say that you’re rlly kind-hearted for doing this and just in general being a reader🥺💓

Can’t wait to meet my FS. Someone passionate about their work and adventurous fits me so much😩💞(Also the fact that he’s lucky is something i’ve heard quite a lot so Im kind of jealous👀)

I hope you have a nice day/night!💓💓Sending lots of positive energy and love💕Your work, time & energy is much appreciated:)!

Can’t wait to see more of your readings, love yaa💘🥺!

OH MY GOD LOVE, you gave me a feedback longer than my reading, you literally are precious af! What even this literally made me all🥺💕

You guys participating in my games and resonating with it is the biggest gift I could get from you guys, doing it for free cause you all deserve the love! You all are so sweet and precious, it makes me wanna host various games cause I love channelling for you and your feedbacks make my day my month my year haha j loveee Reading them all, just like this one! Thank you for trusting me with your energy and participating in my games! I appreciate you all so much!

You babie are the kind hearted one for putting in so much efforts and for taking part in this game! I hope to see you in my future games as well🥺🥺💕💕

I CANT wait for you to meet your fs!!!haha he definitely sounds amazing and I’m pretty sure obviously he is!! Like that dude is so much fun to be around as well, y’all will be like besties with each other ahhhh🤧😂💕🦋

Boo, I hope you have an amazing day, every day! I wish nothing but the best for you and I hope you meet your fs soon!! Thank you for your time and energy, I’m SENDIN you lots and lots of love and light! Your positive energy is so uplifting and encouraging, people like you bring me back to Tumblr and continue hosting games and interact!!

Thank you so so much, I appreciate it all, eternally thankful and I love ya too boo🥺🦋💕🫧

[t4tbedehopmar]

SNIFFLES i cannot believe this bestie . . . the betrayal ☹️☹️☹️ i am a HETTIE not a HOMO

this is blasphemous slander . . . i am in tears just so u know >:[ /j

i'm sorry but i'm homophobic and ur a homo!!!!! we're besties to longer /j WAIT WAIT DON'T CRY NOOOOOOOO :[ ok fine ur straight very very straight hmph >:c

[lame-boi]

6/14/24

Been on my meds for about 2 1/2 weeks now. I think. I have this week off for vacay but I’m trying to stay busy so I don’t just rot.

Sunday I went to a food festival with my friend but I passed out like 10 minutes inside the gate and probably gave myself a concussion. I didn’t think I hit my head that hard in the moment but the next day I had a terrible headache and the left side of my head was so bruised I couldn’t even lay it down on a pillow. But I had a great time catching up with my bestie. I hadn’t seen her since December and we aren’t really texting people with each other we always just hang out in person. She finally got a new job and is def inspiring me to really start my new job search.

Monday I just rested cause I was dehydrated and concussed from the day before. Gave my mom some greys telling her that I drove myself the hour home after passing out and hitting my head. She then got even more greys finding out my grandpa J had fallen breaking his arm and dislocating his shoulder. She’s up visiting with him now cause she doesn’t trust his daughter to take care of him.

Tuesday I went and visited my grandma and dad back in SM. God I miss SM so much. I knew I loved it when I lived there but I never took full advantage of how amazing it was to be where I was. You can’t heal where you got sick. I needed to get away from my family down there so I’m glad I left but god I can’t wait to be in a position to move back. My grandma is def starting to lose her memory a lot more but the visit was nice and only hit a on a few sour memories. My visit with my father however was disgusting. My step mom had been out of town for two weeks so the place was fucking disgusting. And the fleas were everywhere OMG I’m so glad I brought a change of clothes. I’m still freaking out that I might have brought some fleas home even though I left my dirty clothes in my car and sprayed them and myself down before I came home. Still I’m gonna give my cats a flea treatment and deep clean my place.

Wednesday I had a hematologist appointment that was odd and idk if I’m going to keep going. My blood work wasn’t that concerning anyways it was just my regular doc being too anal about stuff. They drew like 20 vials of blood so I guess I’ll go to get my results when they come in but idk if I really need to be doing all this. After that I had lunch with my friend and caught up with them. We usually hang out longer but they had to go help their grandparents.

Thursday I worked a shift I took at work for T. I shouldn’t be doing her any favors but whatever I offered. Mostly because I thought I was gonna be off next week too and I was gonna need the hours but they put me back on the schedule so I didn’t need it. I had plans to do stuff after work but I was so tired I just slept the whole day. I got up for food at 9pm and went to sleep again around 2am.

And that brings us to today. I haven’t done much but I’m still just trying to relax today. I got a trip to FW planned tomorrow to see my sister so all I ‘HAVE TO’ have to do today is laundry but I want to get some deep cleaning done in my apartment while my lil brother is staying at my moms.

[1d1195]

Thank you so kinddd!!:)

Me too I have piles and piles if clothes to fold the worst thing to do!! I feel so lazy when it comes to doing laundry lol!!

Take your time bestie!! No rush just have vibes and inspiration and write we all will wait for it!!Ohh mini series in fall?? So excitedddddd!!

I'm making some yummy lunch!! What are making todayyyy??:)

-🪴

I did the laundry. I love doing laundry and folding it tbh, but it's the putting it in drawers that KILLS me. It's the worst!

I say mini series but maybe it will be longer, idk. In my head it would just be TOO long for one part. I think three parts right now maybe. If I'm lucky. But we'll see 💕 Thanks for being so kind!

I had a bagel for brunch and a PB&J for lunch. For dinner I had a pork chop, mashed potatoes, and green beans. What did you eat?

xoxo

[fallingfavourites]

òh boy this one's even longer, BUT I AM EXCITED!!!,

FIXING WOUNDS IM WEAK 😭😭,

and if you kick me out of the country petertingle-yipyip then who will be giving you reactions/reviews in detail about the mag series??? Oh thats not... in a sense that-

thought of this just rn idk thought it was funny

AH FLASHBACK JUMPSCARE, YHIS IS TOO CUTE STOP IT RN WHY CANT RHEY BE HAPPY 😭😭😭

- You had always thought yourself synonymous with bloody knuckles and gun powder. You wanted to be something to fear, to make people afraid to hurt you. But when Matt was around, all your jagged edges seemed to be rounded out. - YOU ARE MAKING E CRY THIS ISNT GUNNY,

-“Untouchable. Like she’s fighting a losing battle…” -  BUT YOU'RE UNTOUCHABLE BURNING BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN AND NOW THAT YOU'RE CLOSE I FEEL LIKE COMING UNDONE

SORRY LET ME FOGUS ANF BE SERIOUS,

now why isn't she just telling matt that she knows dex?? is it to not make him worry about her as she keeps working with him or does she have a plan??? idkidk,

-“Your experience.” He chuckled. “How many military men do you have experience with?” - like at least 4 right??? marc, frank, billy and now dex or am I just completely forgetting someone?? idk, well I mean minus frank (and Marc idk for sure) if we're talking sleeping with them,

BILLY SHOT HER OMG SPIN OFF LORE SPIN OFF LORE, -“Y’know, I really thought we could make it..”- I was smiling and having a good time until I read this😐,

-"...He slammed me a few times..." - GIRL IT WAS MORE THAN JUST A FEW TRUST ME,  -“Yeah, just… Just let me hold you for a little longer.”- THEY MAKE ME FEEL THINGS

-...But there was a familiar tug as well, like a string tied from his heart to yours.- INVISIBLE STRING RAAHHHHHH,

- “Devil’s in the details there, Ray.” You added carefully. - PEACE REFERENCE, omg j jonah jameson and the bugle mentioned !!!, nonono their gonna get into an argument over dex when they were just slowly getting closer😭😭,

I SWEAR ANYTIME YOU WRITE AN ARGUMENT I JUST GET SUCKED RIGHT IN ITS TOO GOOD,

-“Was it ever real? My feelings for you.” He didn’t know why he kept going, but he did.- Oh... oh thats not... IM GONNA BEAT HIM UP, BESTIE STOP IT THIS ISNT FUNNY

I need 3-5 business days to recover from that argument holy fucking shit, BESTEI THATWRITING WAS INTENSE OMG, how am I supposed to continue now jesus,

omg their back to bickering(arguing) on the job😭 very nostalgic tbh, ex interacting with dex and talking about herself to me him mad is so funny😭,

OMG NOT THE FACE REVEAL

BESTIE THIS IS CRAZY HOW CAN YOU END IT LIKE THIS, I NEED MORE AAH BUT I GOTTA OR ELSE ILL PASS OUT BUT WOWIE 13/10 AS ALWAYS !! I'LL GO SLEEP NOW AND I CANT WAIT TO GET 5O CHAPTER 6

MAD AT GOD - MATT MURDOCK

Season Three - Aimed To Kill

tags: @mayasaurus--rex @americaarse @dusstory @johnmurphys-sass @ironprincessstranger @astrobees @woowwwee // four // six // masterlist

Pairing: Matt x Reader

Word Count: 10,424

Summary: Pages turn and bridges burn as Ex realizes the extent that she’s behind. When sentiment thrives amongst the chaos between her and her first love, question becomes whether they can fix their hearts with the lips that have left scars on each other.

Ray sent you home after your conversation. A team remained for cleanup and analysis, and you offered to help, but you were told to go home. He said for you to take care of yourself, write down whatever important things you didn’t want to forget, and he’d see you in the office for a debrief tomorrow. You tried to wait for Karen or Foggy, but Ray said if you wouldn’t leave on your own, he would walk to your car himself.

You thought about going home, about sleeping off the whole ordeal. But your mindless driving took you to the church. Once you pulled up, your feet guided you through the rod-iron gate out front without hesitation and through the heavy wood doors with your chest growingly inexplicably tighter with each step.

Your feet seemed to know where to go more than your head because before you knew it, you were just around the corner from the gate. You took a deep breath and built the pressure in your chest to a pinnacle. You let it out as a controlled exhale and felt the thrumming of your pulse slow to its usual pace.

“You’re missing the point! He didn’t just find someone to wear my suit.” Matt argued so you stayed around the corner to listen in, hiding your presence behind a bubble of indifference. “He’s as fast and skilled as I’ve ever seen, and I couldn’t take him. He found someone to kill me.”

“Matthew.” Sister Maggie tried.

“I was stupid enough to think that I had Fisk cornered. He knew I’d find the witness and I just brought the sheep to the slaughter.”

You shook your head slightly, feeling that slap of guilt.

“Jasper Evans is dead. He’s dead and he leaves a son behind and that’s on me! … I was so sure that I was finally out in front of this bastard. God, and I was stupid enough to put Y/N in the middle of it.”

You stepped inside quietly and stood beside Maggie. Her head snapped towards your sudden presence, but she offered a small, thankful smile. You gently took the cloth from her hand and moved towards Matt. He jerked away from your touch but you grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back. He huffed in annoyance and you quietly rolled your eyes.

“Fisk knew I thought that I had him. He was waiting for me.” Matt’s rant continued, though his anger was now wavering between that heat - a heat that so familiarly blasted from him - and suffocating guilt. “Of course he was waiting for me.”

You worked calmly and quietly as you began undoing the buttons of his shirt. 

“Foggy and Karen could’ve been killed.” Matt tried.

Your movements paused at the last button when you realized he was right. But your head cocked in thought when you also realized that they weren’t killed. He hardly touched them… Why kill everyone else but them? “And there would’ve been nothing I could’ve done to stop it. Nothing.”

“You’re losing blood. Let me stitch you up!” Maggie insisted and Matt’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly having assumed the person touching him was the familiar nun.

“I listened to you. I listened to you and they almost died.” Matt continued, though one bloodied hand reached forward and found your face.

You couldn’t hide the smile as his thumb traced your features. He closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh, his mouth threatening to reveal a smile. That prior tightness in your chest dissipated almost instantly when you saw that you still meant something special to him. While their conversation continued, you were thinking of an old memory from college.

————————————

“Does that even work?” You giggled and dropped on the bed beside Matt. He turned his head in your direction with a content smile. “They do it on TV but is it actually a thing?”

“It helps, yeah.” He nodded. “You don’t have to though.”

“Do you want to?”

He gave a small shrug. “Foggy’s pretty much told me what you look like. The guy couldn’t stop talking about you for a week after we first met. It was always ‘how did we not know she was in our classes?’ and ‘how is a girl like that trynna be a lawyer?’.”

“Huh.” You propped yourself up on your elbows. “I’m gonna kick Franklin’s ass.” You laughed before sitting up fully and patting Matt’s chest. “C’mon, get up.”

“Why?” He asked, though he did as he was told.

“So we can do this.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

You could tell he was trying to keep down his smile as his hand hovered near your cheek. You felt a twisting in your stomach and realized for the first time in a long time, you had butterflies. Your skin was buzzing with excitement as you waited for Matt’s gentle touch. He giggled quietly and pulled his hands away.

“What’s wrong?” You laughed.

“Nothing.” He insisted with a grin. “Nothing, I swear.”

Your brows raised expectantly and he licked his lips with a smile as he raised his hands again. You laughed to yourself and grabbed his wrists to guide his hands. You slid his fingers into your hair at your temples and his thumbs ran along your forehead, following the path of your hairline.

You watched his expression shift, though there was always a smile on his face. His brows raised and furrowed as his thumbs continued to travel your face, skimming over your eyebrows as his fingers traced the curve of your ears. You giggled slightly when he got your eyes and the touch against your lashes made your eyes close.

“Can you smile?” He asked softly when both palms slid to your cheeks.

Your eyes opened and you saw the soft expression he wore. That look alone was enough to bring out an honest smile, thinking about how sweet and honest Matt was. He gave you a chance to be soft in a way you never had before. You had always thought yourself synonymous with bloody knuckles and gun powder. You wanted to be something to fear, to make people afraid to hurt you. But when Matt was around, all your jagged edges seemed to be rounded out.

His thumbs traced your cheeks to the bridge of your nose. You bit down the smile as his pointer fingers made their way to your lips, gingerly tracing the shape. One hand fell away while the other gave your cheeks a gentle squeeze, making you laugh.

“What was that for?” You asked and he laughed with you as he pulled both hands back to his lap.

“Nothing.” He answered innocently. “You’re beautiful, Y/N.”

“Thanks, Matt.. So are you.”

“Yeah?” His brows raised as a slight pink tinted his cheeks.

“Yeah…” You smiled softly. “Y’know, I’m really glad we met.”

“Me too.”

————————————

Maggie tapped your shoulder and you pulled back into the present moment. You turned to see her handing you a bowl with the supplies to stitch him up. She offered a quick nod before disappearing and you blinked the pink tint from your vision.

“I don’t know if I can beat the man he sent to kill me, Y/N/N.” Matt confessed softly as you moved across the room to wash your hands.

“Have you forgotten everything I taught you?” You asked simply.

“I’ve thought about everything between us a lot lately.” He said softly, all anger fading to the back for a moment as he appeared at your side. “Good and bad.”

“And there’s been a lot of both.”

“Mostly my fault.”

You turned to him with a clean wet cloth in hand. You gently grabbed his jaw and turned his head down towards you. He snorted a quiet chuckle while you gently cleared the blood from his nose and mouth.

“Well I’m not exactly a cake walk to have around… Just ask Marc. Or Billy. Or Frank. Or either of my cousins.. Hell, you could ask Karen.” You laughed slightly.

“I’m serious, Y/N/N.” He offered a small, lopsided smile.

“Y’know, I thought you might've turned off your heart, cause that just wasn’t you last time I saw you, when we were at Jasper’s.. But this guilt makes more sense.”

“You don’t seem very fazed that our friends could’ve died.” He commented as your hands returned to their place in his chest and began stitching him up.

“Yeah...” Your brows furrowed as you thought back to your realization from just moments ago. “They could’ve. But they didn’t.”

“He knew from the start, since I went to the prison. He knew I’d find Jasper.”

“Shut up for a second.” You shook your head, pausing your hands to let your brain work through your thoughts. You slowly began tapping your finger against his chest and he looked down at you with raised brows. “So why didn’t he kill them?”

“What?”

“The imposter could've killed them both. You were down and I had barely gotten to my feet, which was after he had already pulled a trigger on Jasper.” You stopped and turned your head up to face Matt again. “He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to give chances. So why not kill them too? Why not kill all of us?”

“Cause that wasn’t the plan.” Matt finished.

“No… He wasn’t sent to clear the place. The journalists and whatever damage he did from that was his own idea, probably only killing people that fought back. He was sent to send a message. To me and you, to the public, and every crime syndicate in New York. If he can wreck your public image, it shows that the people can’t trust you anymore. And by making it look like you’ve snapped and you work for him now, criminal groups across the city will see him as untouchable.”

“FBI protects him inside. Daredevil protects him outside. Makes it look like not even Exodus can’t touch him.”

“Untouchable. Like she’s fighting a losing battle…” Your fingers continued the steady movements to stitch him up. “We’ve gotta find this guy sooner rather than later.”

“I couldn’t stop him, but you could.” His brows furrowed but you ignored the look he gave you and focused on finishing the stitches. “How’d you know how to beat him?”

“His first instinct was to throw the club, which told me pretty much everything I needed to know.” You explained, though it was partially a lie. “He was strong, sure. But it was easy to tell his advantage was with distance and projectiles. When you two were going at it, he had trouble blocking everything which showed a lack in hand to hand experience. I saw a fighter that relied on brute strength or distance. The way he carried himself reminded me of the military, and in my experience, military men can’t defend against me very well. He couldn’t get me until I let up or got distracted.”

“Your experience.” He chuckled. “How many military men do you have experience with?”

“I don’t owe you that answer.” You said simply.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that’s not a very discreet way to ask who I’ve been sleeping with.”

“What?” He feigned innocence.

“I know you were at the apartment. What gave it away?”

“I could smell the colognes in the bedroom.” He admitted.

You let the silence settle for a moment until he began fiddling with his fingers.

“Four.” You finally answered and his brows raised in mild shock. “Two of them would’ve been recent enough that you could tell but they were just to pass the time. Well that’s kind of a lie. I was starting to like one of them until he turned around and shot me. The other two of them actually mattered, but one of them’s like my family. They’ve never been in the bedroom like that.”

“Hmm… Couch?” He tried to joke.

You smacked his arm.

“Neither of them have been in the apartment.” You specified.

“Your math is wrong, by the way. That was five.”

“No, it’s four.. There’s some overlap.”

“Would I uh… Would I know any of them?”

“Names, yes. Actual people, some. And to answer that other burning question that’s stamped on your forehead, no. I never slept with Frank.”

“I didn’t-“

“You assumed the only military guy we had in common… You were dead. What else was I supposed to do?” You gave a small shrug and dropped the supplies to the sink.

“I know.”

“Y’know, I really thought we could make it..”

“We still can.” He said softly, as if the words would break him. As if admitting those words in your presence was the last crumble of his resolve to stay away in the name of your protection.

And maybe they did. All you knew for sure was that whatever hard casing had shattered in your chest earlier that night, it would never fully solidify again. You were each other’s greatest weakness. The clearest vulnerability, but your greatest strength came from each other. Your best feats came when you two were together. Fisk knew that, and that’s why he wanted to separate you two.

Matt waited for you to turn back towards him and when you did, he took your hand and guided you to the small bed tucked in the corner.

“The suit he was wearing...” You remembered, hoping to redirect the conversation to the fight.

“Yeah, it was perfect.” Matt agreed.

“I think we’ll need to see Melvin.” You sighed and turned to him.

His brows furrowed as his head tilted, listening in on something. Your head cocked as you watched and waited for him to talk about it.

“Are your ribs bothering you again?” He asked suddenly. “It sounds like the bones are rubbing together.”

“Probably. He slammed me a few times and I took a tumble down the stairs earlier but it doesn’t hurt.” You sat up taller to prod the area but Matt’s hand was already pressing against the bones while the other was against your back for stability. You winced sharply and grabbed his wrist. “Yeah, they’re busted. I’ll deal with it later.”

“I can’t really feel it. Can I…” He gestured to your shirt.

You shook your head softly but stripped off your jacket and button-up. You gave Matt a side eye as you undid the velcro straps on your vest but he held a look of innocent concern. You pulled the vest over your head with a wince, leaving you in the black compression top that was underneath.

“Don’t think you're gonna get me out my clothes that easy anymore, Murdock.” You teased and he smiled as you guided his hands back.

“Guess I still got it.” He answered lowly as he pressed against your rib cage. You let a sound between a whine and a groan, which made Matt quickly turn to face you. “Never heard you make that sound before.”

“Shut up.” You rolled your eyes in amusement.

“What about your hip? Where the knife went in?” His fingers slid down and pressed the joint of your hip.

“It’s fine, should be just a scar by now.” You looked down at his hand and saw the dark purple shapes on the back of your forearms from where you blocked the baton earlier that night. You hummed in acknowledgment and lifted your arms to better see the bruises.

Matt was quick to reach up and run his fingers along your skin, feeling the slight swelling of the discolored area. He sighed slightly and leaned forward, sliding his hands to have a better grip on your hips. He offered a quiet, pleading expression and gave your body a slight pull. You hesitantly scooted closer, lifting a leg to rest on his lap.

“My last fight was a lot worse. Still got out better than you did.” You said softly, brushing your fingers across his forehead to move his hair back. “You feeling okay?”

“Careful, Y/N.” His eyes closed and a small smile crossed his lips. “I might start to think you still love me.”

“I wouldn’t be down here if I didn’t.” You confessed quietly. “I had to make sure we didn’t lose you again.”

He shifted back on the bed slightly and pulled your hips again, this time pulling you over his lap. He draped your arms over his shoulders before his hands ran up and down the sides of your thighs. You leaned your forehead to rest on his and he tilted his head back so his lips brushed yours.

“You know there are some things we need to talk about.” You said quietly.

“I know..”

“And I can’t stay down here forever.”

“Yeah, just… Just let me hold you for a little longer.”

You nodded slightly and his arms snaked around your waist, allowing you to wrap yours around his shoulders.  You leaned forward to drop your head against his shoulder and his chin rested on top of your head. He took a deep breath and his arm held you a little closer. In turn, you felt a rattling in your chest. The sensation was true for what you and Matt felt about your current relationship. Uncertain, shaky at best with a cracked foundation. But there was a familiar tug as well, like a string tied from his heart to yours.

“I don’t want you to get hurt because of me anymore.” He mumbled against your shoulder before he pulled back. “I can’t keep you with me.”

“I can protect myself.” You answered with a small smile. “And I can feel that you want me here, Matty. You can say whatever you want but you can’t hide that longing in your chest.”

He hesitated to go any further, though his hands held you a bit tighter. You let your own hands run up the back of his neck and your fingers pushed into his hair. He let out a chuckle in relief and pressed his lips fully against yours.

Your lips moved together as if no time had passed. You let out a soft moan when he gently pulled you closer and you let all your guards crumble away.

Suddenly, Matt could feel her pulse against his skin with the small noise she made. He could hear more than just the bones rubbing together in her chest. He heard the way her heart was pounding and her breath was growing shallow. He slid his hands up to the exposed skin of her sides and he loved how he heard her heart pick up and the gasp that fell from her lips. He continued to push his hands under her shirt until his fingers found the hem of her bra.

His head was screaming for him to let her go, to force her to leave and keep her safe. He was yelling at himself to say something hurtful, to break her heart and send her off hating him. He knew she’d be safer that way, as far away from as she could get. But Matt recognized that she wouldn’t go for that. She’d never leave his side if she had a choice, and she wouldn’t let Matt take that choice from her.

She pulled her lips away just enough to offer a small, silent nod. She helped him remove her shirt and to stifle the groan. Once the fabric was gone, Matt gently switched positions so she could lay on her back. He carefully climbed on top of her and felt her hands trail down his chest. His eyes closed as her fingertips ghosted over the various scars across his abdomen, as if she wanted to see if they were still there. Maybe that was how she could convince herself it was real, that he was real. He felt her hands falter on one that she wouldn’t know, one that came from Midland Circle. But he knew she wasn’t feeling it in a bad way. She was feeling it to remember it, to add it to the memory she kept of his body.

He had added a few new scars of hers to his memory as well. The tattoos at the back of her neck. Deep lines around her wrist that were interrupted by a shallow circle on either side, a short but raised mark near her belly button. The newest one at her hip that he had yet to feel. He felt the slight divot along her jaw earlier that night. Whatever she had gone through in his absence, she’d never be able to forget it. He still wondered what happened, but in those moments where he had her hands and lips on him, he couldn't bring himself to stop and ask. He decided it would be a story for another time.

The moment only broke when Y/N gently pushed his chest away.

“Maybe this isn’t a great idea..” You said gently.

“Yeah..” He answered simply, as if that was the reaction he expected from you. “You’re probably right.”

“I still wanna stay.” You offered as he moved to lay beside you.

“I thought you couldn’t.”

“Tell me to go and I will.”

“And if I want you to stay”?

“Tell me and I will.”

You woke later that night - or maybe it was early morning - when your phone was ringing on the floor. You freed yourself from Matt’s arms and slid from the small bed to the floor. You found your phone in your jacket and leaned your back against the bed while you answered.

“Yeah?” You mumbled, eyes still closed and sleep dripping from your voice.

“Hey.” Dex’s voice answered and it felt like you were slapped awake. Every muscle in your body tensed as you expected an accusation of your alter ego. “Just callin’ to see if you’re home. I wanted to come by.”

“Isn’t it kinda late for that?”

“I was just hoping we could talk.. I heard about what happened at the Bulletin.”

“They’re talking about it already?” Your brows furrowed. 

“No, not really.” He said carefully and it was clear he was fabricating his lie as he went. “Ray told me you got a little banged up and I should check on you.”

You knew you had to redirect the conversation quickly or else he might realize that he didn’t see you there, if he hadn’t realized already.

“You don’t have to. I’ve gotten worse than a few bumps and bruises. But hey, while I got you, I wanted to ask if there was any word on your leave? I didn’t get a chance to see if Ray knew anything.”

“Uh… No. No, I haven’t heard anything. No.”

“That’s too bad.” You feigned disappointment. “Tonight probably would’ve been different if you were with me.”

“Yeah…” He paused on the other line and you knew you still had some hooks in him you could pull. “Well, I guess I’ll let you go. Sorry to wake you.”

“Don’t worry about it. Hopefully I get you back with me soon, yeah?”

“Yeah… Yeah, soon. Back with.. with you.”

When you walked into work that morning, you were immediately blasted with familiar feelings from Karen. You followed that calling and ended up in the conference room with Foggy and Karen on one side and Ray on the other. Karen let out a tense sigh and jumped to meet you in a tight embrace, so tight you had to swallow the groan when she squeezed your ribs. Foggy was next, a short embrace followed by a tap on your arm.

“Y/L/N. Glad you’re here. How do you feel?” Ray asked when you stood beside him.

“Little banged up.” You gestured to the still red cut on your forehead. “But I’m not sitting this out. I get you had to pull me from the Murdock investigation but you’re letting me stay on this thing.”

“Yeah.” He gave a small smile. “Wouldn’t do it without you.”

“Great.” You nodded and took a seat beside Ray. “Fill me in.”

“We were addressing that, according to her own paper, Ms. Page has met Daredevil at least twice.” He explained and slid a paper across the table, citing the articles Karen had written.

“That psycho’s not Daredevil.” She countered and shoved the paper back.

“I got a pretty good look at him, too. Could’ve fooled me.” Ray countered, not acknowledging that you had told him something similar the night before.

“Do you think every fat guy with a white beard and red suit is Santa Claus?” Foggy countered and you had to smile.

“If he comes down my chimney and leaves presents under the tree.”

“Devil’s in the details there, Ray.” You added carefully. “That guy would’ve acted like Santa. If he did all of that, this guy didn’t act like Daredevil.”

“Based on how many encounters?” Ray turned to you.

“Couple.” You shrugged.

“He doesn’t kill people, ever. It’s not Daredevil.” Karen insisted. “Did you ever look into Felix Manning? Red Lion Bank?”

“They’re on my to-do list.”

“This is bullshit.”

“Look, Karen, he dropped your name.” You added but you weren’t speaking to her an FBI agent. You were speaking to her as her friend, as her vigilante friend, and she knew that. “He had a chance to kill you, but he didn’t. You were the one person left untouched. I know this seems like bullshit but we need to get these pieces to line up somehow.”

“It won’t.” Foggy cut in. “Not until you two start asking the right questions.”

“And what are those, Mr. Nelson?”

“How about this? Where’s Matt Murdock?” Ray interjected, looking at Foggy and then you.

You simply shrugged.

“Yet another fine example of a question that’s besides the friggin’ point!”

“You were supposed to deliver him to us-“ He gestured between the two of you. “-but there are zero Matt Murdocks in my custody.”

“And zero Jasper Evans left alive.” Karen added. “He killed the one person who had dirt on Fisk, but you knew that already. Is that why you don’t wanna go there?”

“Ms. Page.” You warned.

“What? That nut job did Agent Nadeem a huge favor. Now there’s no one left to tell the world what a fool Fisk is making of the FBI.” Karen continued.

“Did you know Daredevil was-“ Ray began.

“Daredevil imposter.” You cut in, earning a look of disbelief from Ray. “I’ll show you later.”

“Regardless.” He turned back to Karen. “Did you know he was gonna attack the Bulletin? Is that why you brought your gun?”

“Oh, come on.” You groaned as Foggy announced “We’re done here.”

Your friends were quick to leave the room, leaving you and Ray.

“What are you doing? I thought you didn’t get a good look at him.” Ray said lowly, almost angrily.

“No but you know who did, other than Karen?” You reached into your pocket and pulled an old thumb drive. “Outside my door this morning. I already checked it and it’s clean. No malware, no viruses, no tracking. Just a comparison of this Daredevil and the real Daredevil.”

After you left Matt the morning before work, you downloaded the footage from your mask. You found a few shots of Dex in the suit and downloaded those frames as pictures. You found a few old shots of Matt in the suit that matched the same framing and downloaded those as well.

“Do I wanna know who gave this to you?” He asked as he carefully took it.

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you.” You shrugged. “Could be an amateur photographer. I know Jameson at the Bugle is always looking for freelancers. Just give me a chance to explain it all, okay? I’ll be right back.”

You hurried out of the room and found Karen and Foggy not too far across the office.

“Evans wouldn’t have come to Bulletin if I hadn’t threatened his son.” Karen said sadly.

“His son will be alright.” You said honestly as you joined them. “My cousin is gonna get in touch and let him know, give him some money and help him start over. It’s not ideal but he’ll be okay.”

“We need to find Matt and-“ Foggy tried.

“No, I’m gonna head to the hospital.” Karen cut in, her voice weak with regret and guilt.

“Call me if you need anything.” You offered on her way out and she nodded. You sighed softly before facing Foggy again and speaking quietly, pulling him a few steps to the side. “Matt’s okay. I checked on him last night.”

“You know where he is?” His brows furrowed.

“Yeah, I guess I always had a feeling. I took a chance and it worked out.. Anyway, he’s a little worse off than me but he’ll be fine.”

“You guys have anything?”

“Sort of.” Your head tilted back and forth. “I’ve got some ideas and a basic construct, but we’ve gotta go to the guy that made the suit in the first place.”

“Think he’ll talk?”

“Yeah, he’s a good enough guy. Fisk had to have twisted his arm to get him to go along with it.” You nodded. “I’m gonna look into it on my lunch, assuming he doesn’t go rogue and do it without me.”

“I’m glad you two are working together again. What does it mean for you two?.”

“I don’t know yet, but my priority is keeping you three safe. I don’t care what I have to do.”

“Y/N.” He sighed.

“Y/L/N!” Ray called from down the hall. “Back to work. Let’s go.”

You patted Foggy’s arm and headed back into the office, following Ray towards a meeting with the warden. Ray filled you in quickly on the walk that you two were going to figure out how Jasper got out in the first place.

Apparently fake books wasn’t the most obvious solution.

You sat on the edge of the desk while Ray handled most of the conversation.

“How did some just check the wrong box?” You chuckled. “If you can’t give me a legitimate path to investigate, it’s gonna fall on your head. Forging federal documents is a crime and you will be serving time if you don’t give us answers. And something tells me those prisoners would love to spend some time with you.”

He stared at you and Ray and you felt the panic. He knew he was cornered, but he was also a coward. Whatever Fisk held over him, it was worth a jail sentence.

“I want my lawyer.” He said finally.

You two were then sitting in the SAC’s office and running over what had just happened. You were quiet while Ray went over everything. He told her what happened with Karen, what Jasper was supposed to say, what happened with the warden. 

“You believe Evans?” She looked to you.

“Why would he risk his life for a lie?” You shrugged. “And if the warden had nothing to hide, why bother with lawyers?”

“Alright. We gotta kick this up the chain. I’m calling the ADIC.”

“And tell him we don’t know all the facts?” Ray questioned quickly.

“There’s a damn good chance Fisk is manipulating us.”

“I warned you guys this would happen.” You muttered and crossed your arms.

“Shut it.” She pointed firmly to you.

“We need two days. Let us get all the facts.” Ray tried and you had to admit, you admired his determination. “When we can prove Fisk had been playing us, we can bury that son of a bitch together.”

“Leave him to fend for himself against all the people he’s burned.” You agreed. 

She shooed you two away and said that you had forty eight hours. You and Ray went back to his office and were comparing the images from your thumb drive.

You pointed out the height differences. Dex had at least two inches on Matt. You showed the difference in jaw shape. Dex’s was more square compared to Matt’s rounded chin. The facial hair difference was clear. Dex stayed clean shaven while Matt opted for light scruff. Their builds were different too, slightly broader shoulders and a narrower waist on Matt. With the photos in front of him, Ray couldn’t deny that they were two different men.

Throughout the day, you learned that the FBI had raided a workshop where Melvin Potter was working, a man who had helped make suits and protection for Fisk. But that was the same man that made yours, Matt’s and now Dex’s suits. You heard talk of a second man there, but only Melvin was in custody. You felt terrible, knowing that when you went to Melvin on your own for help he was more than willing. Now, there was nothing you could do for him because Matt went without you.

You skipped going with Ray to talk to Fisk that night. You told him you didn’t want to see or hear anything from him. You didn’t feel like dealing with more lies so you just headed home. Ray asked if you wanted to come to a small promotion party, just so you didn’t have to be alone, but you politely declined.

You were just getting to your building when you got a call from Maggie asking if you knew where Matt had gone. You answered honestly, that you had no idea but you’d find him. You opened yourself to his emotions and found him, still on his way to wherever he was going. You hurried across town, stopping a few houses down from here you thought you tracked him to. You stripped off your jacket and button-up, threw on your long-sleeve top, and grabbed the mask and Bites from your glove box before hurrying to the right house.

“I’m Daredevil.. The real one.” Matt said when you got into the room. You hurried across and pulled him back by his shoulders to get him off Ray.

“Are you insane?” You asked quietly.

“You don’t look like-“ Ray began.

“I buried the red suit.” Matt cut in. “The man who attacked the Bulletin, he resurrected it.”

“You do, however, match the description of a guy who’s been tuning up FBI agents. Does Agent Y/N Y/L/N ring a bell?” Your head snapped to Ray as he continued. “Heard she kicked your ass so bad you ran off. Maybe I should call her.”

You smirked slightly and Matt threw a discreet elbow into your arm.

“It was the last thing I wanted, but you people-“ He pointed a finger in Ray’s face. You reached over and pulled his hand down, bending his finger back slightly to earn a groan. “-didn’t leave me any choice. If you’d just wake the hell up instead of playing into Fisk’s hands. He’s using you, and I think you know it.”

“You went after the guy at the Bulletin.” Ray turned to you. “You didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even look at the other agents in that stairwell. Why?”

“Because I know who my partner is.” You put a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “And I know who my enemies are. He would’ve killed you too, Agent Nadeem.”

“Who do you think the real danger is here?” Matt added. “Me or him?”

The conversation paused for a minute while Ray had to redirect his son back upstairs.

“Let’s say I believe the two that just broke into my house.” Ray said tightly. “What do you got?”

“The man who attacked the Bulletin dressed as Daredevil… He’s in the FBI.” Matt answered and you felt your blood rush down to your feet.

“What?” You asked quietly. “How do you know?” Matt looked over at you. “How do you know?”

“I found the man that made the suit. He told me that he didn’t know his name, but he knew he was in the FBI. So tell me, which of your agents has Fisk been especially interested in?”

You zoned out for the rest of the conversation. When you got a chance, you snuck out the door. You were quick to change and get back in your car. Instead of going home and ignoring it, you drove to the church. You headed downstairs and waited on the small bed until Matt got there.

“You already knew, didn’t you?” Matt challenged as he stepped inside, tossing his mask across the room while he went to wash his hands.

“You were supposed to wait for me.” You countered.

“Who is he?”

“Why would you think I know?” You stood.

“Who is he, Y/N?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying.” He turned to face you.

“Am I?” You tilted your head with a slight squint. “Or is it that you can’t tell so you’re trying to trap me?”

“Why are you protecting him?” He shouted and your jaw clenched. The worst part was that you didn’t know how to answer that.

You didn’t know if you were or if it was to protect Matt. If you took down Fisk, Dex would go down too. Start at the top and the bottom crumbles. Matt couldn’t face Dex on his own. He’d already proven that. He needed your help, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

“I’m trying to protect you but you won’t listen to me!”

“Listen to you? Listen to you? Y/N, you’ve been lying to me! Why should I listen?”

“Cause you already know you can’t beat him without me.” You said simply, trying to gain some composure. “Whether or not you know his name, he will beat you every time. Next time, he will probably kill you.”

“Why didn’t you stop it?”

“How was I supposed to do that?” You scoffed. 

“You know how. It gets you everything you want, doesn’t it?”

“What, this?” You raised your brows and pulled fear to Matt’s surface, watching him cough and choke slightly before clearing it away. “I can’t control everyone.”

“That’s how you knew how to beat him.” He continued and you didn’t bother arguing. “Because you know exactly who he is.”

“I have an idea.” You said carefully.

“Don’t bullshit me, Y/N. You know.”

You didn’t know why you were protecting Dex, but you couldn’t bring yourself to throw his name out there. Maybe it was your own pride. You wanted to take him down yourself. Maybe it was just some loyalty to him as a partner or some pathetic hope that some sliver of a redeemable man was left.

“I don’t have any proof.” You said, which wasn’t a lie. But you did know how to get it.

“Y’know, I knew you were a good liar, but I didn’t think you’d lie to me.”

“Are you seriously talking to me about lying?” You laughed in disbelief. “You lied for how long about being dead?”

“That’s not the same!”

“No, you’re right. It’s worse!”

“My lie didn’t kill anyone!”

“It almost killed me.” You admitted. His brows furrowed as he faced you, trying to figure out what you meant. “The night after Midland, I thought about drowning myself in the tub. Almost did it, too. And the scar on my wrist that you were so interested in last night? Gunshot, nearly bled out from it. I almost died at the carousel because I didn’t care what happened to me.”

“I didn’t make you do that.” He said quietly.

“You didn't make me… You’re right. You didn’t. But you weren’t here to stop me either. And that was your choice. You always knew where to find me, Matt. But you hid out down here.”

“I’m not the one that can make people feel what she wants. You could’ve stopped them from trying to kill you. You could’ve stopped all of this!”

“You aren’t listening to me! You never listen to me!” You shouted and pushed him by his chest. “I only let my powers go so far, because if I don’t, then nothing‘s real.”

“How far did they go with me?” He asked suddenly, and the question seemed to shock him as much as it did you.

Matt realized it immediately after he said it. That was what he was looking for the night before. When he was thinking of what to say that’d be hurtful enough to break her, to push her away for good. It was the idea of challenging the validity of the relationship they had. He let out a small sigh when he realized that what he said had done more than hurt her. It shattered whatever was left of her heart, whatever had just been putting itself back together.

“What?” You asked softly.

“Was it ever real? My feelings for you.” He didn’t know why he kept going, but he did.

“Did you love me when I wasn’t around?” Your eyes fell to the floor as you backed away, a sharp pain stemming from your chest. “Did you still care about me before I came back?”

“Yeah…”

You swallowed the stinging sensation that was climbing your throat and lifted your eyes to Matt, taking careful steps forward. “Did you ever question it before you knew what I could do?”

He shook his head.

“There’s your answer… The worst part of my powers is not really knowing if I’m messing with someone or if it’s real. But I guess I know what it is with you. And I really wanted everything with us to be real. I was as honest as I knew how to be when it came to you, but you still can’t trust me.”

“Y/N, wait.” Matt realized he couldn’t go through with it. He couldn’t let her leave with that kind of hurt, not when it was his fault.

“No. No, you don’t get to try and pull a punch you’ve already thrown. You can’t backtrack this time..” You shook your head and turned to leave. 

“I didn’t mean it, Y/N, please.”

“You always say what you mean, Matt. After everything I’ve done, I thought you would’ve trusted me by now. But y’know what, fine. You wanna be alone? Be alone.”

You turned on your heels and were storming towards the stairs to leave when you felt his hand on your wrist. You reached over with your free hand and twisted his arm over as you stepped underneath and behind him. You kicked out his front knee and forced him down, quickly moving one hand to press at the base of his shoulder. You pulled your knee back and as you drove it forward, his other hand came up to block it. You pulled your foot back again but threw it for a kick this time, only to have Matt catch it by your ankle.

He yanked your forward and you went stumbling, releasing his arm so your hands could catch yourself on the nearest marble statue.

“Would you just listen to me?” He tried as he got to his feet.

“Like you’ve been listening to me?” You laughed. “Like you listened when I begged you not to stay under Midland?”

“How many times do I have to apologize for that?” He asked loudly, throwing his hands to the side.

“I don’t want your apology. I want you to admit you were wrong.”

“I did what I thought would be better for you.”

You let out a loud sound of frustration and moved at him. You threw a roundhouse that he leaned away from but your momentum carried you around so you spun and shot a back kick that landed against his chest. As he stumbled, you did a quick shuffle to replace your feet and reset yourself to face him. Left jab that he knocked away. Right hook that he ducked. A small growl sounded from deep in your throat as you walked in a small circle around him. He kept his hands up in anticipation as he spun with you, trying to keep you in front of him.

“You think all of this is easy for me?” You asked plainly, feeling every inch of your skin burning with your newly soaked anger. “Easy having you alive. Easy having to go against someone I work with, someone who helped save my life. Karen and Foggy and Lantom and Maggie, all of them wanted me to build bonds and create relationships with people so I wasn’t alone anymore. Well, look where it got me!”

“This is why I stayed away, Y/N.” He tried.

“Bullshit.” You scoffed. “You were being selfish.”

“I knew you had a good life. I knew I would only mess it up.”

“You didn’t mess up my life by coming back. You messed it up when you left, when you betrayed me.”

His hands faltered and you used it to your advantage. You moved quickly and slammed a knee against his chest. It forced him back and he grabbed both of your upper arms to keep you close.

“I couldn’t have betrayed you.” He spoke with a gentle firmness, an honest plea for you to believe him. “I never meant to-“

“What we do isn’t an accident! You don’t accidentally stay under a falling building for your ex-girlfriend. You don’t accidentally stay away from your actual girlfriend for months. You don’t accidentally tell someone that you never really trusted them!”

“You think I ever wanted to hurt you?” He countered. “After knowing where you came from, what you were supposed to be and what your mission was, I thought it was only a matter of time before you hurt me.”

“You think I never sat there and wondered if you were pretending? I never thought I was worth anything more than a bullet.”

“I’ve cared about you since we met, Y/N. You were always worth that.”

“I wasn’t!” You placed the other foot against the wall and kicked off , turning you two so you could slam him to the ground. “I loved you!”

“And I still love you! It was real. I know it was. I know it because you brought something to my life that I can’t stand the thought of losing.”

“Then why would you ask if it was real?” You asked softly, heart twisting in your chest.

“I don’t know.” He admitted with a sigh.

“Liar!” You shouted and slammed a fist down.

He moved his head so your fist hit the ground and the impact jolted up your arm. You threw the punch again and again, hitting the same spot in the concrete until Matt rolled you two up to a sitting position. He put his hands on either side of your face in an effort to force your attention to him. He made a small noise of discomfort when his palms met your skin, likely due to the heat still radiating off you.

One hand was shaking, knuckles bruised and bloody from assaulting the hard ground, while the other gingerly held your injury. Reluctantly, your eyes met Matt’s and even though it seemed like he was looking through you, you knew he was focused on you.

“I was convinced…” He began softly and the gentle tone made the heat slowly dissipate. “I thought that I had to hurt you so you would leave. But I… I couldn’t do it, Y/N. I just couldn’t.”

“But you did.” You answered, your voice small and distant. You leaned away and got to your feet, ignoring the disappointment that you could feel coming from him.

Without another word, you left him on the floor.

The next day went about as expected. Ray was looking into a few agents, but he wouldn’t tell you much. You watched from the media room as he flipped through files before pulling the camera log from the wall behind him. You knew he had to have found the time when Dex had turned the cameras off, likely finding a time when you went in after him. You waited until Ray hurried out of the room before you followed. You claimed you were feeling dizzy from the head injury you had gotten at the Bulletin incident so no one tried to stop you. Instead, you grabbed your duffle from the trunk and took off.

You changed your work shirt for your vigilante top in the closest alleyway after following Ray’s car, waiting to watch him for a minute while you fitted your mask into place. He stood in the alley by himself for a minute, but you and Matt joined him at the same time.

“What’s his name?” Matt asked simply, turning his head towards your presence but saying nothing.

“I need to be sure about you two. You guys have a history of hurting people.” Ray said firmly, looking between you both.

“I want Fisk in prison.” You said honestly. “I don’t want to kill your agent, but if he insists on being in my way, I will go through him.”

“I’m not handing you a federal agent if you’re gonna kill him.”

“I’ll get to him whether you give him to me or not.” You stepped closer to Ray but Matt grabbed your wrist. You turned to face him as your skin grew warm. “Get your hand off me.”

“What happened to partners?” Matt asked quietly.

“That would mean you trust me.”

“C’mon, Ex. If this is about last night-”

“If you’re right about him, taking Fisk down is our job.” Ray cut in.

“Oh really?” Matt said flatly so you yanked your arm back. “Because we all know where he’s sleeping these days. But I understand.. If there’s one thing we agree on, Nadeem, it’s the greater good. Like house incarceration in exchange for good intel.”

“Not everyone will like the choices we make.” You added, keeping your voice level. “But it’s up to us to make those choices.”

Matt turned to you. “Sometimes you have to hurt one person to save them, and others.”

“Oh please.” You scoffed. “Just tell us the name, Agent.”

“I need your word that you won’t touch him.” Ray tried and you felt bad.

Dex was someone that Ray had trusted, someone Ray had worked with for a long time. Dex knew Ray’s family and they were friends. They were supposed to look out for each other. But now they found themselves on opposite sides of the law with vigilantes going after them. You wished there was a better way but you had to get Dex away from Fisk, otherwise you’d never lock the bastard back up.

“Our word can’t mean anything to you.” Matt reasoned.

“But I need to hear you give it.” Ray insisted. 

“I need him to testify against Fisk, so you got it.” Matt said simply. “Her, too.”

“You don’t speak for me.” You countered. “But you won’t convince him to switch sides. Fisk has played too many games with him. One more switch and he snaps.”

“You know who he is?” Ray asked you and you gave a small shrug.

“It’s not hard to connect dots if you pay attention.”

“We’ll slip into his place, look for any evidence that ties him to the attack on the Bulletin and to Fisk.” Ray offered, clearly looking for a way to save Dex. “If we find any, we leave it where it is.”

“You can get around a search warrant if we set off the fire alarm.”

“Exactly. But if we don't find anything, the guy goes on with his life.”

“Spit it out.” Matt said plainly. “Who is he?”

You wondered if this attitude was due to your most recent conversation or if that was just who he was, and the softer night you two had was just a lapse in judgment. His accusations from the night before made you wonder if, subconsciously, you had manipulated Matt into that tender moment. Maybe the man you met in college truly was gone.

Maybe only the Devil remained.

“Special Agent Ben Poindexter.” Ray said tightly and you let out a small sigh.

Matt turned towards you and you knew there was accusation in his expression. He had to have remembered the name from when you talked about Dex before Midland Circle, when you were at Anvil and waiting to hear from the FBI. It had to have clicked in his head why you hid his identity. 

Dex was your partner, your friend. He was there for you while Matt was gone. He wanted to fault you for it, and while he didn’t appreciate you hiding that from him, he wasn’t going to bring it up then.

Later that night, you were waiting for Matt on Dex’s fire escape.

You slid open the window when he got there and he moved to let Ray in the front door. You let them wander the apartment while you moved towards the safe in the closet. If he was keeping the suit in his place, that’s where it’d be.

“I can’t call a crew to crack that.” Ray sighed.

Matt moved forward and got to work on it.

“I know the combination. You don’t have to-” You spoke loudly, but Matt ignored you. “And you’re doing it anyway, Great.”

“Wait, he can do that?” Ray asked with wide eyes.

“Not if you two keep talking.” He answered tightly.

You mocked him quietly and tapped your mask. You let it load up before leaning closer to the safe. Your eyes searched each shelf but found nothing out of the ordinary.

“It’s not there.” You said quietly as Matt got the door unlocked.

The boys looked through the safe and found nothing they could use. You were turning to leave when you heard the click of a tape player. Turning back, you saw Matt with Dex’s cassette player in hand as one of his old therapy tapes played.

You sighed slightly and felt a sudden spike of panic.

“What did you leave Poindexter doing?” You asked Ray when you realized it was coming from the direction of the bureau. Your implant pinged in your head and you had a feeling it was Dex. But you couldn’t answer it in front of Ray, so you had to leave it alone.

“Talking to an attorney about a wrongful termination suit. Why?” Ray answered as Matt went through more tapes.

“Because something is going very wrong. He’s about to break.”

As they listened to more and more tapes, you paced the apartment anxiously. The longer you were there, the closer that panic and instability got. When Matt looked towards the door, you tapped your mask and saw Dex coming down the hall.

“Убирайся.” You told them, giving Matt a shove. “Both of you. Out, now. He’s here.”(Get out.)

“You should go.” Matt told Ray.

“No, we had a deal. No evidence means you two don’t touch him!” He insisted.

“I found evidence.” Matt tried.

You groaned slightly as the two argued back and forth. You cracked the door slightly and saw Dex pulling glass adornments off the nearest light fixture. You cursed yourself quietly and shut the door again before grabbing both men by the collars and shoving them out the window.

“Go, now.” You said firmly. “I’ve got the best chance if we’ve gotta fight him.”

“What- Fight him? You said-“ Ray tried but you raised a hand and forced fear to the surface to get him to run.

“Make sure he gets out of here.” You told Matt when he hesitated. “Don’t make me make you.”

“Ex, don’t.” He tried but you did the same to him. But instead of fear, you pulled his betrayal to the surface.

Matt knew it was you. He knew what he was feeling wasn’t that serious. It wasn’t enough to make him abandon you, to leave you to stand against Poindexter on your own. But that didn’t make the urge any easier to fight. So he ran.

When you heard the door sneaking open, you moved the fire escape and pressed your back against the wall. You pulled a knife from your belt and angled it so you could watch his movements. He crept through his apartment carefully, noting the misplaced items and tapes scattered across the table.

“Show yourself.” He called out and you glanced above to find Matt and Ray, but you found no one. It made you wish you had stuck Matt with another comms piece, but blind faith would have to do for the moment. “I know you’re out there.”

One of the glass sticks came flying out and bounced off the railing in front of to knock into your blade. You gasped slightly and stuck your foot out so it landed against you rather than the metal of the fire escape.

“I can see you.” He called as you knelt to pick it up.

“How can you see me from over there?” You answered as you stood carefully. With a blade in one hand, you pulled your gun with the other.

“I was lying. Did you really fall for that?” He replied and you made a face to yourself before stepping out. 

Your gun was raised and the hand with the knife braced your wrist. He stood tense with another piece in hand and ready to throw.

“Well done. Not many people are bold enough to lie to me. What’s your name?” You asked.

“You first, then maybe I’ll do the same.” He nodded towards you.

“Nice try.” You smiled. “But two can play this game, and I have a feeling that I’m better at it than you are.”

“Don’t be so modest. I know you’re that vigilante. Let’s be honest here. You’re Exodus.” His body language relaxed a little as you stared him down, picturing the tension fall away like melted snow. “Badass out in Hell’s Kitchen. Unmatched so far, witty, and brains behind some of the best strategies he’s seen.”

“If you’re looking for a mentor, Dex, I can make sure your time is well spent. I can put you to better use than Fisk can. I’ve never been to prison so it’s not like I’ve gotten caught.”

“That’s your plan?” He chuckled in disbelief. “You and me, best friends?”

“We’ll see how it ends.” You shrugged.

“Okay.” He scoffed. “Wait.. How’d you know my name?”

“I’ve done my research. Ever since you attacked the Bulletin a few nights ago but didn’t kill me and you bragged like you knew me. Like you knew my story with the real Daredevil. I wanted to know who I would be up against. You’re good, I’ll admit it. Fisk made a good choice in picking you, an elite FBI SWAT sniper. And your partner, Y/N. She had some nice words to say, but she’s worried about you.”

“Y/N?” His brows furrowed and the tension rose again. “What did you do to her?”

“We just talked. She wants to save you from yourself.”

“That why she didn’t answer her phone? Did you hurt her?”

“No. But she is a pretty little thing, isn’t she?” You offered a wicked smile and his anger grew sharply.

“Leave her out of this.”

“Should I leave Julie out of it, too?” You mocked.

“What did you do to her?” He shouted.

“Nothing.” You answered innocently. “Yet.”

His head cocked as he silently questioned if you were serious. You took the chance to fire a bullet just over his shoulder, close enough to graze the material of his jacket. When he dropped to the floor, you rushed up the fire escape and slipped into the apartment above. You found Matt and Ray and were able to get them to the ground just as the bullets came in.

“The shot came from across the alley.” Ray said through heavy breathing. Looking over, you saw he was hit.

You were quick to kneel beside him and pull off a glove. You looked to Matt and took in his anger so you could push it to the palm of your hand. You pressed the palm against Ray’s side and he groaned loudly as the faint smell of burnt skin permeated the apartment. It wouldn’t heal the wound but it would at least slow the bleeding.

“I think it came from downstairs.” Matt countered.

“He’s ricocheting the bullets.” You confirmed, ignoring the look Ray gave you. “I’ve seen him do it a hundred times. If he can see you, he can hit you.”

Matt threw a newspaper and rolled to the other side, hiding behind a bookcase. He was talking to you about how many shots Dex had left and the fact that the cops were called when you looked around and realized something. Even from your angle behind the sofa, you could see Matt in the mirror on the door.

“The mirror.” You said to yourself and Ray noticed it at the same time.

You looked around and found a book on the coffee table. You pulled your arm back and threw it as hard as you could against the mirror, watching the reflective surface shatter when the next round of bullets came in. When Matt said to run, you helped Ray out the door before sliding to sit under the window sill. Using your mask to see the floor below, you saw Dex moving to the fire escape.

You pushed Matt out first and as you were climbing out, you saw Dex coming up the steps. You grabbed both railings and kicked both feet against his chest to send your partner tumbling back down. Matt turned around but you pushed for him to keep going. You heard the climbing stop below you just before Matt grabbed your arms and switched positions so he could block the glass sticks being thrown with a trash can lid. 

You two were reaching the roof when one piece came up and cut the strap of your mask, nicking your ear in the process. You grabbed the railing and leaned over to catch it, only to make eye contact with Dex. His arm was already drawn back to throw another one but he froze, eyes wide as he saw you.

You could see him mouth your name but you were too far away to hear it. But you weren’t far enough to miss the heavy hit of betrayal against your chest. You didn’t know what to do but when you saw Dex’s features illuminated by the police flashlights, you snapped from your daze and hurried onto the roof. You paced the area in a panic with your mask tightly in your fist.

“Hey.” Matt said when he realized what was happening. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“He knows.” You said quickly. “He knows who I am.”

[novemberhaenys]

𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚? | 𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙣𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

pattinson!bruce wayne x reader

warnings: fluff, mentions of violence, sfw 

author’s note: based off of “r u mine?” by arctic monkeys. this is j a short lil thing about loving bruce & being someone who fought for everyone in gotham, but in a different way than batman & how it is a lil different than a normal relationship 

also i’m high asf rn so this was not proofread i’m j in my bruce feels hopefully i don’t embarrass myself too badly with this one :) ok i’ve got the munchies i’ve g2g but enjoy besties! 

word count: 1.4k

You were known for being kind and generous. Your family’s legacy was like a blooming orchid in the middle of Gotham’s dark concrete skyscrapers. Your family built housing for the homeless, taking advantage of Gotham’s real estate business. Greed was never a word associated with you or your family. While you come from this old-money name that’s been in Gotham for centuries, the biggest rule passed down through your family is to take care of others, especially those not taken care of by everyone else. “The people who are turned away are the ones we take in” is etched in Latin on your family’s mausoleum in the Gotham City Cemetery.

The entire city of Gotham knew your name and saw the sacrifices you made, along with how you shared what you had with those who needed it and even those who didn’t, they saw how giving you were and how the giving never seemed to stop.

But there was one thing — the thing that it hurt the most the share with the city and people of Gotham — one person: the Batman. He belonged to everyone, he was the protector of Gotham. A knight with more than just a sword and a suit of armor; his horsepower no longer came from just horses, he had the resources and the connections and the training. The Batman did not belong to just you.

But Bruce?

Bruce was all yours.

He was a recluse. The crown prince of Gotham rarely came out of his castle, barely even sparing the city a glance even though he could see all of it from his vast throne. He had responsibilities, sure, but you came first. That changed a little when the Gotham Project started. But what didn’t change was Bruce’s love and adoration for you. While your relationship wasn’t traditional, it was more than enough.

However, you couldn’t help but find yourself yearning for the boring, the mundane, the ordinary. The routine of waking up next to your lover, laying so close you can feel them smile. Brushing teeth next to each other in the mornings, making breakfast, doing chores and home restoration on your own, arguing about wet towels on the bathroom floor, get ready for bed together— it was something you and Bruce exchanged for the betterment of Gotham City.

You resented the parts of Gotham City that forced you to give up a long and happy, excitingly ordinary life with the person you loved.

You needed Batman, but Gotham City needed him more.

And so you shared everything you had with Gotham and its citizens, including the love of your life.

He would be gone so long that some nights you wouldn’t sleep. You’d hear the chime of the bell notifying you that he had pulled into the Batcave, and once you knew he was home you could not keep your eyes open a second longer. The majority of time he spent at home was spent down in the cave, working on the next plot to destroy another one of the dirty schemes that was about to wreak new havoc on the city. You couldn’t sleep without knowing he was safe. Eventually, you started to drink sleeping tea to assist you in sleeping and shutting your brain down for a while. Bruce hated the fact that you usually waited up for him, he hated the fact that you had to worry. But he knew that his job was worry-inducing. He knew that you just wanted to make sure that Gotham had not snuffed out another light.

“He does so much for them and they’ll never know,” you say while sitting across from Alfred at dinner, “sometimes I think even if they didn’t know they wouldn’t care.”

“Not everyone is corrupt, but people put in corrupt situations have to make tough choices. Most of the people in this city are just trying to survive.” Alfred comments. “You and I know that. So does he. I don’t really think he cares if they give thanks to the Batman, he doesn’t view himself as the sole savior of the city. He is, but he doesn’t see it that way: he knows Gotham’s doomed. But as long as he has a say in how doomed, he’ll keep fighting for it.”

“I wish Gotham could just… chill out for a few days. I barely see him anymore. I feel selfish about it, but I miss the days when it was just us in our own little corner of the world.”

“It’s not wrong to miss those moments, miss,” Alfred responded, an understanding smile on his face. “Loving someone and having to watch them leave is painful, no matter the circumstance. Especially yours and Master Wayne’s. You sacrifice a lot, the both of you. And while the whole city may not know about those sacrifices, the two of you do.”

“We do,” you confirm, “and it’s enough for me.”

—

That night, you crawled into bed, clad in one of Bruce’s t-shirts. It was two a.m. and he wasn’t home, and you tried to stay awake so you could see him for what was the first time in days. But you just couldn’t. You knew that you were too tired to give him your full attention, so you just pulled back the covers and slid into bed, snuggling up with your blankets and resting your head against the pillow, inhaling the familiar scent of Bruce. The aroma made up for his arms, and while a bit lighter still provided similar comfort. 

It’s not until a few hours later when the fading scent is replenished, Bruce slipping into bed and immediately pulling you into his arms. He’s just showered, most likely took a few extra minutes to let the warm water massage his aching muscles. Your body awakens at the mere feel of him, your eyes opening as you adjust so you’re laying face to face with him, “You’re back.” 

“I’m back.” Bruce responds, his hand coming up to cradle your cheek. One of your hands comes up to wrap around his wrist and stroke the back of his hand with your thumb. 

“Are you okay?” 

Bruce takes a moment to respond, his eyes studying your face as if you’re surely to evaporate into thin air, “I’m okay,” he echos. And while the bruises he’ll wake up with tomorrow disagree with that statement, the warmth of your tired eyes and the comfort of your presence is what makes him okay, even after the worst nights fighting crime in Gotham. 

You let out a sigh of relief, your eyes fluttering closed as he confirms it himself: he’s here, he’s okay, and he’s come back to you. That is all the confirmation you need, your eyelids fluttering shut almost involuntarily. Bruce presses a gentle kiss to your forehead, thinking to himself that it was those small check-ins every night before bed were always the best part of his day. 

You wake up the next morning with your head on Bruce’s upper chest, tucked into the crook of his neck. His nose rests just on the crown of your head, you can feel the hairs up there move as he exhales peacefully through his nose. One arm lays next to his side, the other is wrapped around you. His fingers have the slightest grip on your arm, as if he’s worried you’ll leave while he’s asleep. His presence and touch makes you feel secure, makes you feel like you’re in the safest hands in all of Gotham. Which, you are, but Bruce made you feel that way before the Gotham Project. 

Your fingers dance with the faintest steps across his chest, repeating soothing patterns and movements that have your own eyes fluttering. Before sleep catches you, Bruce pulls your consciousness back from its fall. 

“Morning, my love,” he says, the words like silk. 

“G’morning, Bruce,” you respond, nuzzling into his chest. “What time is it?” 

“A hell of a lot later than normal, that’s for sure.” 

You furrow your brow, looking up at him through tired eyes, “Doesn’t Gotham need you?” 

Bruce cracks a smile, “Believe it or not, Gotham can wait until it gets dark out. So can the Batcave. It can all wait for today, as far as I’m concerned. I miss just being around you.”

You push yourself up with your forearms so that you’re hovering over his face, “Really?” 

“I’m all yours.” Bruce says.

You lean down closer to him, your eyes gazing into his, “Are you mine?” 

Bruce sighs, placing his hands on your cheeks, brushing his lips against yours, “Completely.” 

And that’s enough for you.